Ryde partners AV company MooVita to propose driverless shuttle service in Punggol in Q4

SINGAPORE – Two local companies have partnered to throw their hats into the ring with a proposed service in Punggol, as Singapore makes a major push for autonomous shuttles.

Ryde, which provides ride-hailing services, is partnering MooVita, an autonomous vehicle (AV) technology company, to propose a driverless shuttle service that connects Punggol residents to MRT stations and transport hubs in the fourth quarter of 2025.

In a statement on Sept 10, Ryde said a comprehensive proposal had been submitted to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) for the Punggol service.

LTA said late on Sept 10 that it had received Ryde’s proposal only on Sept 6, and has not reviewed it or discussed it with the company.

Details about the deployment of autonomous shuttle services in Punggol will be announced in due course, added the authority.

Ryde said the plan is to allow users to book rides through Ryde’s app.

The proposed roll-out is meant to be phased, it added.

Ryde and MooVita proposed to begin operations with safety officers on board for 12 months. Subject to how the service progresses and approvals by LTA, the service could then use remote supervision before transitioning to become a fully autonomous operation.

Ryde said the proposal was in response to the announcement by Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow, who has earmarked Punggol as the first Housing Board estate

to roll out driverless shuttle services

, which are slated to be introduced in the fourth quarter of 2025.

MooVita will tap its experience in deploying self-driving vehicles for the service, Ryde said.

MooVita’s driverless buses are being used in a trial on the Ngee Ann Polytechnic campus. As part of LTA’s requirements, the driver takes over when the vehicle is on public roads.

For transparency, Ryde said it will disclose information on the proposed driverless service in Punggol, including the safety records, the availability of the shuttle service and number of trips made by each vehicle.

In response to The Straits Times, a spokesman for Ryde said the proposed service will use “fully integrated autonomous shuttles that are electric”, without giving details about the actual type of vehicle or their seating capacity.

The spokesman added that the company is developing a backend system that can integrate all forms of driverless vehicle services, including shuttle buses and robotaxis.

This is to enable residents to book these various transport options on its app.

The company also wants to eventually be able to introduce driverless transport services in other parts of Singapore.

ST previously reported that Guangzhou-based company WeRide

has brought in five-seater driverless vehicles

– likely for use as community shuttles that will ply fixed routes within Punggol.

The Ministry of Transport is also said to be in discussions with various autonomous vehicle companies like Pony.ai, and operators including ComfortDelGro and Grab, for the project.